What Is New in WordPress 5.7
WordPress 5.7 "Esperanza" delivers a more streamlined user experience with significant updates to the editor, color management, and core infrastructure.
| Category | Key Changes |
|---|---|
| New Features | One-click HTTPS migration, Lazy-loaded iframes, New Robots API |
| Editor Improvements | Drag & drop blocks, Reusable blocks management, Font size adjustments |
| Design Tools | Full-height alignment, Button block styling, Social Icons block |
| Developer Updates | jQuery update, New hooks, HTTP API changes |
How does the editor improve in 5.7?
The block editor gets major quality-of-life upgrades. You can now drag and drop blocks directly from the inserter right into your content, which feels much more intuitive than the old click-to-add flow.
Managing reusable blocks is simpler-they've been moved to a dedicated menu and are now called "Patterns." This makes them easier to find and manage across your site without cluttering the block inserter.
Font size adjustments are now more consistent. The interface provides better visual feedback, and you have more control over the typography without needing to jump into custom CSS immediately.
What new design tools are available?
Full-height alignment is a game-changer for cover blocks. You can now easily create hero sections that span the entire viewport height, which was previously a manual CSS task.
The Button block gets new style variations and color options out of the box. This matters because it reduces the need for custom styling for common button designs, speeding up the build process.
The new Social Icons block replaces the old Social Links block with more contemporary icons and simpler customization. It's a small but welcome update for building footers and contact sections.
What core developer updates should I know?
The jQuery library received a significant version bump to 3.5.x. In practice, this means better performance and security, but you should test any custom scripts that rely on older jQuery behaviors.
A new wp_robots API allows for more granular control over the robots meta tag. This is cleaner than manually filtering the entire tag and helps with SEO directives.
The HTTP API now supports asynchronous requests, which is huge for non-blocking operations. You can use wp_remote_get with the blocking parameter set to false for background tasks.
How does the update handle security and performance?
Lazy-loaded iframes are now enabled by default, which improves page load times by deferring off-screen content. This works with the native browser loading="lazy" attribute.
The one-click HTTPS migration tool is a standout feature. It helps site owners switch from HTTP to HTTPS by updating database URLs, which was a tedious manual process before.
Several CSRF protections were added throughout core, particularly around logout links and other actions. It's a behind-the-scenes improvement that makes the platform more secure by default.
FAQ
Does the jQuery update break existing themes?
It might. While core aims for backward compatibility, some deprecated functions were removed. Test your theme's JavaScript, especially if it uses older jQuery methods like .live() or .load().
How does the new Robots API work?
You can now use filters like wp_robots to add specific directives. For example: add_filter( 'wp_robots', 'my_robots_filter' ); is cleaner than manipulating the entire meta tag string.
What's the deal with reusable blocks becoming patterns?
They were renamed and moved to a separate Patterns tab in the inserter. This reduces clutter and aligns with the future direction of the block editor, where patterns are more central.
Is the HTTP API async support stable?
Yes, the blocking => false parameter in wp_remote_get() and similar functions is now fully supported for fire-and-forget requests. Just handle any potential errors appropriately.
How does the lazy-loading for iframes work?
WordPress automatically adds the loading="lazy" attribute to iframes by default. You can disable it per iframe with the loading attribute or filter it globally with wp_iframe_tag_add_loading_attr.